This PS Controller Would Be Nice Sometimes

[optmusprimenumber]

http://www.switched.com/2010/08/29/the- ... r-symbols/

too bad it wasn't/isn't available at all

[dsheinem]

http://www.switched.com/2010/08/29/the-secret-behind-the-playstation-controller-symbols/

too bad it wasn't/isn't available at all

I always wondered why "O/X" was usually "yes/no" on Japanese game menus whereas "X/O" was "yes/no" on US games. Anyone know?

[emwearz]

The Japanese had games programmed that way before they decided to switch the controller buttons up would be my guess.

[CRTGAMER]

Ahem

Posted an expanded story already. Scroll pass the DUAL ANALOG story.

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=217621#p217621


The button location swap still a mystery though. Maybe default right instead of closer to thumb down just seemed more normal in Japan. After all the language is read from left to right.

Oh crap, I just made that up but maybe makes sense. A copy paste to my older post.

[Betamax001]

Looks like it would be good for a few rounds of Street Fighter Alpha 3

[Lokkenjawnz]

I believe the X/O thing is is because X is a bad thing in Japanese culture, and is associated with death. I remember reading a story about how the original Xbox had a lot of trouble in Japan partly because of this (amongst other things). I'm sure there's some people more knowledgeable on the matter though, I could be totally wrong. Definitely an interesting mystery amongst the PS devices, sure is a pain in the ass to deal with when switching between domestic and foreign games!

[fingersmaloy]

My friend was always talking about how the X/O switch was decided by one dude. That shit's been a thorn in my side for the last decade! How I'd like to meet that man and sock him in the gut. Not really, but let me fantasize.

[fingersmaloy]

I believe the X/O thing is is because X is a bad thing in Japanese culture, and is associated with death.

That's often the case, but also, as day-to-day symbols, X and O are commonly used as No and Yes, respectively. I guess someone got it into his head that in America, X is used to "check"--i.e., confirm--things while O marks the absence of confirmation and has a generally negatory connotation ("off", "null", "nothing", etc).

How the hell they came up with "L" and "R" is beyond me, though.

Just kiddin'.

[Wim_Senna]

I work for a large Japanese car manufacturer and in our methodology X stands for "fail" and O stands for "pass", where the triangle means caution.

[Niode]

I believe the X/O thing is is because X is a bad thing in Japanese culture, and is associated with death.

That's often the case, but also, as day-to-day symbols, X and O are commonly used as No and Yes, respectively. I guess someone got it into his head that in America, X is used to "check"--i.e., confirm--things while O marks the absence of confirmation and has a generally negatory connotation ("off", "null", "nothing", etc).

How the hell they came up with "L" and "R" is beyond me, though.

Just kiddin'.

Yes, in Japan instead of ticking boxes they simple put a circle. Cross means incorrect/wrong/no, like it does here. I never understood the X for yes and O for no thing on the Playstation, it never made sense to me. X has always meant cancel/No to me, just like it is everywhere. I guess it works because X is in primary position, it's where your thumb falls under when naturally holding it but it's still odd to me.

Anybody else associate A with Accept and B with Back? I've done this since the SNES. Which is one of the reasons why the Playstation threw me off so much. I was used to pressing A, which is the right side button on a SNES pad, for accept and then the Playstation went and fucked all that up AND used the wrong bloody symbol for accept. ARGH!

Also the designer of the Playstation controller said that the symbols were meant to represent actions rather than just random shapes, he said that the triangle was supposed to represent a head or camera so was used to change viewpoints/perspective, square is supposed to represent a menu and was designated as the 'menu button', O was accept and X was cancel.